Podium places decided

Hedgehog tactician Chris McLaughlin reports from the concluding day of racing at the Dubarry J/24 Europeans

With Hedgehog and Serco Defence staying ashore having already secured first and second places, the final day was the chance for a new boat to head the leader board. The final day was grey and often wet, with several gusty showers, and a consistent southwesterly force 3.

The first start was recalled as the over eager J fleet pushed at the line. This recall allowed those with jibs to change to genoas before the final start of the series.

Dark clouds in a line across Poole Bay to the harbour entrance indicated far stronger winds inshore, and Rotoman from Germany hooked into this wind band to lead the field from the start. Shirley Robertson in Volvo started strongly further to port, and was the
second boat at the windward mark behind Rotoman. Nicholas Hirst in Team Gul was third, a position that would consolidate his third place overall in the series.

A run with stronger breeze on the right dictated a quick gybe, and meant that few positions could change. At the end of an exciting weeks sailing, Gul was third, Madeline fourth and first local boat, and Peggy fifth.

After so many black flags on the first day, many boats that should have scored well did not end the regatta in a position that reflected their sailing. JSpot, Volvo and Hitchiker all had good race results but unrepresentative overall positions.

Hedgehog tactician Chris McLaughlin reports on the final day's racing

Rain, drizzle and even a few hail stones, marked a grey end to a great championship. Parkstone Yacht Club set up the final race of the Dubarry 2006 J24 European Championship with wind at 210 degrees and strength of around 12 mph.

After a general recall, the majority of the fleet, minus Ian Southworth and second placed Al Clarke who stayed home with their hangovers, set off to the port side of the course. The wind however didn’t want to go that way and it was Greig Wilcox and the German Rotoman team who hit the right hand side and new pressure. Shirley Robertson and crew, looking more settled in the J/24 had won the pin end only to tack immediately and head right, chased by Falmouth boat, Team Gul.

In freshening wind the fleet headed down the run, surfing in a short wave pattern. Positions were unchanged throughout the race as the right hand bias continued. Rotoman extended its lead and Robertson broke clear of Team Gul to take an unchallengeable lead. Fourth place was taken by Jan Kaehler and the United Five crew from Germany, with John Powell in Peggy working through to fifth.

Special mention must be made of Brian Steptoe and the family crew on Johnny Bravo. They were the only crew on the second run to gybe immediately at the weather mark and take the portside of the run. Bravery was rewarded by a gain of seven places.

Particular mention goes to 'Stir fry' and his bowman who reintroduced launching and dropping J/24 spinnakers through the forehatch.

As Hedgehog crewman Chris McLaughlin commented “There’s a reason we gave that up a decade ago and it was nice to see the technique so wonderfully demonstrated. Perhaps next year they will bring back cotton spinnaker ties and white overalls!”

Results:

Pos	Nat	Boat	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	Tot	Net
1st	GBR	Hedgehog	SOUTHWORTH Ian	1	1.3 RDG	1	2	1	1	1	1	2	2	1	(DNC)	58.3	14.3
2nd	GBR	Serco Defence	CLARK Alistair	12	1	2	12	7	4	2	2	8	1	2	(DNC)	97	53
3rd	GBR	Team Gul	HIRST Nicholas	11	3	8	8	16	2	3	8	13	5	-34	3	114	80
4th	GBR	Madeleine	McCARTHY Duncan	7	6	11	1	12	16	6	19	-22	3	5	8	116	94
5th	GBR	Peggy	POWELL Jon	2	14	19	3	9	12	9	10	12	6	-33	5	134	101
6th	GBR	Stouche	JARDINE Stuart	(44.0 OCS)	7	4	6	2	3	7	15	11	4	37.0 SCP	9	149	105
7th	GER	Rotoman	WILCOX Greig	6	5	17	21	(44.0 BFD)	13	5	4	9	16	20	1	161	117
8th	NED	J/Spot	KOK Ivo	8	(44.0 BFD)	44.0 BFD	5	24	5	16	6	3	8	3	6	172	128
9th	GER	United 5	KAEHLER Jan	23	8	10	19	6	8	8	22	-25	14	18	4	165	140
10th	GBR	Volvo	ROBERTSON Shirley	5	(44.0 BFD)	44.0 BFD	22	11	7	12	3	1	7	30	2	188	144
11th	GBR	Jooler	LIBBY Robert	13	12	14	-26	14	22	11	16	6	11	12	14	171	145
12th	GBR	J-Whizz	ROBINSON Gareth	17	13	6	13	26	14	20	5	-34	18	6	22	194	160
13th	GBR	Hitch-Hiker	ELLIS David	37	(44.0 BFD)	13	7	5	6	4	9	14	33	25	11	208	164
14th	GBR	Joya	TOMS Paul	9	9	15	14	19	10	14	17	24	25	-27	12	195	168
15th	SWE	Superliga	WALKUSH Klaus	19	(44.0 BFD)	44.0 BFD	4	3	17	15	20	4	23	11	13	217	173
16th	GBR	Jeeves	TRATHEN Neil	10	10	(44.0 DSQ)	34	21	9	17	7	7	29	21	25	234	190
17th	GBR	Johnny Bravo	STEPTOE Brian	14	19	22	9	22	23	21	24	-33	20	15	7	229	196
18th	GBR	Speedy Bean	DOWTY Jon	4	17	3	-40	18	20	33	28	15	13	32	23	246	206
19th	GBR	Jam Too	BALL Ronney	21	2	9	10	13	-35	35	25	31	19	17	31	248	213
20th	IRL	Sayonara	O'DONOVAN Diarmuid	(44.0 DNS)	15	12	16	44.0 BFD	11	10	26	10	32	31	10	261	217
21st	GER	Three chicks,Two Guys	HELMS Jan-Peter	32	11	18	24	15	18	24	14	-39	21	37	24	277	238
22nd	GBR	Rolling Stock	POLLOCK William	16	20	24	15	38.0 SCP	35.0 SCP	30	-40	20	12	14	18	282	242
23rd	GBR	Jiggy With It	BROWN Craig	-36	27	5	33	27	27	13	21	17	36	24	16	282	246
24th	GBR	Legal Alien	McDONALD Nick	33	(44.0 BFD)	7	25	8	19	18	12	30	17	35	DNC	292	248
25th	GBR	Rumble	WILLIAMSON Ben	30	(44.0 BFD)	44.0 DSQ	18	25	32	23	18	28	10	8	17	297	253
26th	GBR	Echidna	MORRIS Roger	27	26	32	17	-38	30	34	13	21	24	7	28	297	259
27th	GBR	Zaphod	OWEN Phil	-39	22	21	39	28	28	25	33	18	26	13	27	319	280
28th	GBR	Wijit	HILL Andrew	26	(44.0 BFD)	25	38	35	15	22	27	32	34	10	21	329	285
29th	GBR	Owens J	KERR Owen	18	(44.0 BFD)	27	44.0 DNF	17	33	28	29	27	39	4	20	330	286
30th	IRL	Just in Time	JONES Gerry	25	(44.0 BFD)	44.0 DSQ	23	32	25	18	31	26	9	26	29	332	288
31st	GBR	Why J	HARRIS Roderick	31	21	23	28	34	34	27	23	23	15	-36	30	325	289
32nd	GBR	Jumanji	DOWNING Bryan	29	18	(44.0 DNF)	30	31	21	32	30	38	22	19	19	333	289
33rd	GBR	Fruitcakes	ELFORD Lee	20	25	(44.0 DSQ)	29	20	31	44.0 DNS	DNC	16	41	9	15	338	294
34th	GBR	Ju Ju	PROUDFOOT Sue	34	23	29	37	33	24	26	11	-40	31	22	26	336	296
35th	GBR	Jam	BENNET Alan	3	(44.0 BFD)	26	35	10	29	44.0 DNF	DNC	29	28	23	32	347	303
36th	GER	Zicke	MAIS Stephan	24	(44.0 BFD)	30	31	23	36	31	32	5	30	38	DNC	368	324
37th	GER	Max Bahr	KARSUNKE Stefan	15	13.0 SCP	20	11	4	(44.0 DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	371	327
38th	GBR	Jeepers	PIPE David	28	25.0 SCP	16	27	(44.0 BFD)	37	36	34	19	35	29	44.0 DNF	374	330
39th	GBR	Jinseng	GUANT Andy	35	24	28	32	37	40	29	35	(44.0 DSQ)	27	16	33	380	336
40th	GBR	Ballistic	ROLFE Barry	40	28	33	20	36	-41	39	37	35	40	39	34	422	381
41st	GBR	Helms Deep	CROSS Richer	38	(44.0 BFD)	31	36	30	39	38	39	36	37	44.0 DNF	DNC	456	412
42nd	GBR	Hi Jack	HORNBY Richard	22	(44.0 BFD)	35	DNC	DNC	38	37	36	37	38	40	DNC	459	415
43rd	GBR	Easy Tiger	MARTIN James	41	29	34	(DNC)	DNC	42	40	38	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	488	444